How Hedi Slimane Doubled Saint Laurent's Sales

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In the past three years at Saint Laurent, Hedi Slimane has more than doubled the house's annual sales revenue from about $383 million in 2011 to about $787 million in 2014. Business of Fashion explores Slimane's incredible success at Saint Laurent, asking retailers and analysts why the brand is such a hit.

Turns out that it's a combination of factors, starting with a big advertising push when Slimane joined the brand in 2012. Black-and-white ads featuring achingly cool models and musicians set the tone for Slimane's vision, which showcases luxurious basics like biker jackets, denim, and knitwear. His ready-to-wear options are both on trend and are "all exceptionally wearable, saleable and aesthetically consistent," Business of Fashion's Robin Mellery-Pratt writes. The price points for the brand's investment pieces and It Bags are also a bit gentler than those of luxury brands like Louis Vuitton, Givenchy and Balmain. And Saint Laurent makes its products relatively easy for customers to get their hands on, opening 13 new stores in the past year.